KENT, Ohio — For three decades, the Kent State Liquid Crystal Institute has had a close relationship with scientists in Ukraine, explained John West, a trustee professor.
When the war between Russia and Ukraine began, West and his fellow Kent State faculty member, Torsten Hegmann, knew they wanted to do something to help.
“We had done a ton of collaborations. We have folks in the Ukraine—there is actually a very good liquid crystal program in Kyiv,” West said. “It’s like, your friends are in need—what do you do?”
They set up the Ukrainian Scholar Support Fund in hopes of bringing people to America from Ukraine to study at Kent State.
“We would be able to fund getting visas, do the travel, maybe set up the housing in the beginning.” West said. “Anything that might not fit in the normal reimbursement that the university might do.”
Hegmann explained the fund is in desperate need of donations, and they do not currently have enough money to bring a scholar to Kent yet.
“I have received a whole range of emails from people across the Ukraine, really more from the affected areas, in the west of the country,” Hegmann said. “[The emails are] from all sorts of disciplines. Languages, business, science—all asking us to help.”
Heggman said it’s been disheartening not to be able to help those who have reached out to him due to a lack of funds.
“Many of them have shared in their emails the problems they are having. Bombs flying over their head was pretty much a common theme in everyone of these emails I received,” Heggman said. “If people see this and feel compelled to help, I think it’s the best thing you can do with your money, really help a human being.”
You can donate to the Ukrainian Scholar Support Fund here.
